New presenter for BBC South East Today

That link made very interesting reading.

What is so sad is that Meridian Tonight (SE) has been reduced to a shadow of it's former self. They lost Sue Kinnear and have now let Geoff Clarke go. There is no longer seems to be any rapport at the newsdesk and it just comes across as a basic bog standard news programme.

Over the last few days, I have watched South East Today. What a difference a couple of years have made. The very sensible BBC have taken note of what made Meridian Tonight (and Coast to Coast before them) so successful and made it their own. Having poached our Essex Boy Geoff, they have 2 presenters with a good (and developing) rapport, the weather is presented in the news studio - and a developement of the kids weather pics of Meridian Tonight in the past - viewers pics are shown during the weather!

It is almost a carbon copy of what Meridian Tonight used to be and I wish it every success.

I for one am switching channels and I think others will be too.

Bye bye Meridian Tonight - it was nice knowing you!

I saw a trail for SET this morning at the end of one their Breakfast opts which ended with the reference which was something like "done/made in the region"!

http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvsouthandsoutheast/meridian/news/mikedebensmeridiantonightse1996s.jpg http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvsouthandsoutheast/meridian/news/geoffclarkmeridiantonightse1996s.jpg http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvsouthandsoutheast/meridian/news/ronlobeckmeridiantonightse1996s.jpg pics: TV Ark

Yes, it seems as though ITV News in the South East is dying rapidly. Gone are the legendary days of Mike Debens, Geoff Clark and Ron Lobeck doing the weather.

Heres to South East Today - and lets hope Sally Gunnell goes back to where she came from soon! [

It makes you wonder if it is deliberate! I know Meridian is a duel region but if viewing figures drop off enough, it may give them the excuse to have just one news programme covering the whole of the south.

(don't know if there is an 'official' South & South-East thread yet, so I thought I'd post this here)

Had to go into work today and, whilst snatching a quick peek out of the office window, noticed that a Hampshire-based removals truck was loading outside the Meridian New Hythe studios. When I had finished work and got outside, I also saw that a 'To Let' sign had been put up outside the building, don't think it was there on Friday.

Kent Online are carrying a story about the new south-east news centre: Kent Online

Shame that they fail to make the point more clearly that the new Maidstone facility isn't a *studio* so much as a newsgathering centre.

I agree - I also don't know why they don't make themselves more accessible, like the BBC instead of being on some featureless industrial estate or at the top of a high-rise building (OK, rant over).

Does anyone know where the Hastings and Ashford bureaux are located?

We only got to see the outside view of the New Hythe studios during 'Meridian's Summer Holiday' broadcasts.

Can you please tell me more about this (Meridian's Summer Holiday) please?

Faceless industrial estates cost much much less.

In the Summer, Geoff Clark and Sue Kinnear used to travel around the South East on a double decker bus presenting Meridian Tonight from various towns etc. The more serious news was presented back in the studio however. There wasn't one this year I don't think.

The bus is an ex-East Kent AEC Regent which is usually parked at the back of the RH&DR station at New Romney. It had it's Meridian Tonight adverts on the side for some time, but I think they have now gone.